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The aim of this research was to evaluate the role of lysozyme in the phenomenon of seminal hyperviscosity. The enzyme was determined in 142 samples of seminal plasma either leucospermic or not, with or without active macrophages classified according to their consistency (normal or high). The kinetic method with Micrococcus lysodeikticus as substrate was employed. No difference was found in enzymatic concentration expressed in nmol/L of enzymatic protein (mean ± 2 SEM) on comparing normal and high seminal consistency groups, while differences proved highly significant in batches either leucospermic or not (n = 44, 197.2 ± 51.3 vs. n = 98, 108.3 ± 12.8; p < .0005). On subdividing the normal and high-consistency groups according to the count of polymorphonuclear leucocytes and the macrophagic response, differences were also significant (p < .005 in both cases). Lysozyme concentration increases in presence of leucospermic reaction. In vitro lysozyme addition showed no significant effect on samples with high consistency. The results indicate that lysozyme plays no direct role in the phenomenon of seminal hyperviscosity, although its deficiency in cases of chronic infections may prove a factor aggravating the clinical picture.

Objective spermatic motility (Hamilton Thome Research), the rapid progressive spermatozoa (grade A) recovery after swim-up, and the spermatozoa ATP content (bioluminescence) were studied in normoviscous and hyperviscous asthenospermic samples. The amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH) was significantly lower in hyperviscous semen (normal: 4.6 ± 0.7 μm [n= 20], high: 3.5 ± 1.2 μm [n= 16]; p< .05). The grade A recovery percentage after swim-up was significantly higher in semens with high consistency (normal: 71.0 ± 38.0 [n= 14], high: 181.3 ± 108.9 [n= 6];P< .05). The ATP content per living spermatozoa was in the normal consistency group 449.4 ± 65.1 pmol per million living spermatozoa (n= 29) and in the high consistency batch 605.1 ± 242.8 (n= 9), p< .05. In asthenospermia, the spermatozoa from hyperviscous samples have minor ALH values, better response to swim-up, and higher ATP content than those from normoviscous ejaculates.

The characteristics of poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) matrices for the controlled release of drugs have been investigated using methotrexate (MTX) as a model drug. Radiation-induced polymerization of hydrophilic monomers (HEMA and related compounds) at low temperature (-78°C) was performed to immobilize MTX in the polymer matrix. The effect of the drug loading and diflerent amounts of cross-linking agent on the in vitro drug release was studied in this work. The diffusion of MTX from the hydrogel matrices was proportional to the square root of the time, according to the equation proposed by Higuchi (1).